Parking lot security can be a difficult problem for office-retail-apartment property owners to handle. A large percentage of problems usually occur in the parking lots. Yet, illegal activities there are hard to monitor and control.

The purpose of this article is to provide property managers with substantial background information for understanding and dealing with parking solution facility risks. The assistance of a qualified security professional is also advised to help insure no serious holes exist or practical options are missed in a particular situation.

Elevator lobbies and stairs in open parking garages should provide natural surveillance by being open to the parking areas, except at roof levels where glass enclosures may be provided for weather protection.

Elevators and stairs should be located on the perimeter to permit natural surveillance from exterior public areas via glass-back elevators and glass at stairs and elevator lobbies. Access control and perimeter security should be considered in the initial design stage. Even if the potential site for the parking lift facility is currently low risk that risk level could change in the future.

Emergency communications such as panic buttons and closed circuit television can enhance crime prevention in high-risk facilities. Facilities should be designed so that such enhancements can be easily installed if needed.

Stairs, lobbies, and elevator cabs have been high risk areas for personal attack incidents. The main reasons are that small enclosed spaces tend to provide opportunity for persons with criminal intent. One of the basic rules of crime prevention is to design stair towers and elevator lobbies to be as open as building codes permit. Potential hiding places below stairs should be closed off.

Other design elements include glass backs for elevator cabs and well-lighted scissor car elevator lobbies that are visible both to patrons of the parking areas and to the public out on the street. When enclosure is required, as in underground parking garages, an automatic fire door, or for a larger opening, a rolling fire shutter with an access door, can be installed so that the area is wide open during normal use. Either the door or shutter would be closed by smoke detector when needed.